Hydroblasting is cleaning with a high or ultra high pressure water jet. The impact energy of the water removes scale, sludge, paint, oxides and adhered deposits, with no chemicals and no abrasives. A water jetting unit is the equipment that performs it, and in everyday use the term also refers to the service itself.
An industrial water jetting unit is not a pressure washer. Ordinary pressure washers work at much lower pressures and are meant for surface cleaning. Industrial hydroblasting uses motor pump units, safety hoses, lances, flexible lances and specific nozzles, operates in the range of thousands of psi and requires trained crews, procedures and safety standards such as the Brazilian standard NBR 14533.
Pressure is chosen according to the deposit: the right pressure is the lowest one that does the job. For routine work, super high pressure (SAP, from 10,000 to 20,000 psi, approximately 690 to 1,380 bar) covers heat exchangers, piping and tanks. The SUP range (20,000 to 30,000 psi, approximately 1,380 to 2,070 bar) is used for heavy cleaning, coke and reactors. Ultra high pressure (UAP, from 30,000 to 40,000 psi, approximately 2,070 to 2,760 bar) removes coatings and prepares surfaces. See the full table at 40,000 psi (2,760 bar) water jetting and the technical explanation at UAP hydroblasting.
Before hiring, compare industrial hydroblasting companies on four points:
TSL serves clients from its office in São Paulo and its operational base in Macaé (RJ), in refineries, petrochemical and chemical plants, steelmaking, mining and offshore units. See also industrial cleaning in RJ, industrial cleaning in Macaé and industrial maintenance in SP.
Typically between 5,000 PSI (about 345 bar) and 40,000 PSI (about 2,760 bar), defined according to the application and the type of surface.
Oil and gas, petrochemicals, mining, steel, pulp and paper, power generation, the chemical industry and the automotive industry, on piping, boilers, vessels, towers, tanks, heat exchangers and steel structures.
No. The process relies solely on the force of pressurized water, which reduces the risk of environmental contamination and eliminates the need for aggressive chemical agents.
Levels equivalent to the SA 2½ and SA 3 standards, which ensure good adhesion for industrial coating systems.
It generates far less solid waste and airborne particles, which reduces environmental impact and disposal costs.